[Automotive] According to a recent study which polled 10,000 consumers on their familiarity and affection for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and diesel, 27% of U.S. vehicle owners are likely, very likely or extremely likely to include plug-in hybrid engine technology in their next vehicle. When presented with a suggested market price premium of $3,200, consideration drops to 16%. ...Read the whole story

[Automotive] As sole presenting sponsor of the Heisman Trophy, Nissan invites fans to cast their votes online for their favorite college football stars. Last year, fans cast more than 16 million votes, which were combined to count as one vote for the Heisman winner. Nissan will set up computer voting kiosks so fans can access the site at tour stops. ...Read the whole story

[Packaged Goods] P&G; appears to be taking greater advantage of the marketing potential this year, offering visitors interactive activities so that they can decide which type of Charmin is right for them. A spokesperson says the inside of the facilities "should look different. We're launching a restage of our Charmin Ultra Soft, which is a blue product, and our Ultra Strong, which is red, so that theme runs through the space, red and blue." ...Read the whole story

[Retail] Air fresheners are now an estimated $1.72 billion industry in the U.S., up 50% from 2003, and used by an estimated 75% of households. As a result of the group's filing with the EPA and Consumer Product Safety Commission, marketing and labeling claims are likely to come under greater scrutiny. None of the brands, including those marketed as all-natural or unscented, had phthalates in the list of ingredients. ...Read the whole story

[Spirits] The program is as much a trade marketing effort as it is a consumer push, since the Diageo name does not yet appear anywhere on the drinkwell site. The brand will show up in some POS materials and at some point, the drinkwell brand may be featured on packaging. "Zagat is well-known among consumers as the world's most trusted source for millions of people on where to eat, drink, stay and play around the globe," says Diageo. "As such, the Zagat brand is side-by-side with drinkwell on the ... site." ...Read the whole story

[Research] Of total marketing spend, 18% is now directed toward driving cross-channel sales, up from 13% in the prior year. And it's working: Respondents say 43% of catalog customers have also purchased from their online store and that 35% of online customers have also gone into an actual retail location. Direct mail continues to be a favorite weapon, with 66% of the respondents saying they "measure the success of a catalog by how it increases web sales." ...Read the whole story

[Beverages] The effort is part of a global rebranding--the company's first in its 40-plus-year history--that includes new packaging and a revamped logo. While the new boxes still have the wildly colorful artwork and the quotes, the new packaging will be more focused on what's inside the box and is meant to reflect a new brand theme, "tantalizing adventures for the senses." ...Read the whole story

The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition is calling on fast food giant Wendy's to reconsider running a TV commercial that depicts people inhaling helium, arguing that the message being delivered is that it is "fun to intentionally inhale or huff helium and, by extension, other chemicals and gasses." In the commercial, people line up to inhale helium, their voices change and they float to the ceiling. Earlier this year, Saatchi & Saatchi was named lead agency for Wendy's but it was unclear whether the agency created the ad. Wendy's did not return a call for comment. In an e-mail message, the ... ...Read the whole story